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Lili Fini Zanuck To Direct Eric Clapton Documentary | Film News

Lili Fini Zanuck, the longtime producer who has picked up Oscars and Emmys, will return behind the camera to direct a documentary on her friend, Eric Clapton. The film, Eric Clapton: Life In Twelve Bars, will apparently be an unflinching, personal look into the life of the troubled musician, and will be produced alongside John Battsek at Passion Pictures.

Battsek was also behind the engrossing Searching For Sugarman, while the upcoming film will be edited by Chris King (Amy, Senna). So in case any Clapton fans were worried, the project seems to be in very good hands.

Fini Zanuck met Clapton during her directorial debut Rush in 1991, when he scored the film. They’ve been close ever since. She told Deadline:

“You’re not friends on the level you become when your object is to get to the truth. The great thing about Eric is that he’s very interested in the truth”.

“We had a basis of a friendship but this process has transcended that because there’s no other circumstance that you would share this much information this openly. Because of the trust factor we have, he has really gone down roads of things that even he forgot”.

Battsek added: “We have unique access to Clapton’s extensive personal archive of classic performance clips, on and off stage footage, iconic photos, concert posters, handwritten letters, drawings, and personal diary entries – elements with the power to transport audiences to each era, from obsessive student, to peer, to transcendent figure in musical history and one of the greatest guitarists of all time”.

Clapton is one of the most successful musicians of all time, with 18 Grammy wins, but his life has also been drenched in tragedy. For a documentary that seems intent on delving deep into the heart of the former Yardbirds and Cream member, who better than to be at the helm than a good friend?

The first footage is currently being edited together to show to prospective buyers at the EFM in Berlin.